Queen of the Shadows

10. Watching From Afar

❗️Disclaimer:
I do NOT know how the ancient powers work or act.

'This is.. a double dungeon...' Jinwoo gulped.

"..." Cale stared at the screen. 'You.. you.. YOUR MOTHERFUCKING SCAM OF A FRICKING SYSTEM!' Cale cursed with all his might for it not to come out his mouth.

[ The System cries, saying it's not their doing ]

'No, it's clearly your doing!' Cale refused to believe anything else.

[ ╥_╥ ]

[ The System says it's not them ]

Cale was so mad, he forgot about the fact that Jinwoo could also see the System screens.

'Shit.. how can I peacefully live now...?' Cale dreaded this already, as if his whole life came to ruins.

"Cale."

"What is it, Jinwoo?" Cale stopped his momentary crying.

"The water is rising..." He pointed at the heightened shoreline.

'Ah shit, this dungeon's called Drowning Storm for a reason...' Cale cracked a painful smile. Cale flicked his hand, casting a shield around him. "Stay close to me. We won't drown as long as we're inside the shield's range."

Jinwoo nodded. 'How unique, a shield that has multiple purposes. It's not made of the same material as the shadows as well... where did he get this from? It couldn't be from the previous Shadow Monarch.'

Cale sweated, watching the rising water levels. 'Will the shadows be able to handle the monsters themselves? I don't really want to step in...'

"My queen." Erebus walked up to Cale. "Please do not worry about this, we'll take care of this."

The shadows nodded in unison.

'You don't even know what we're facing.'

"Cale." Jinwoo called out.

Cale turned to him, wondering what he wanted to say.

"I think they're approaching."

Splash!

'You could've told me sooner!' Cale higher his guard. He fixed his gaze on the sea.

It was the lesser sirens, swimming towards them fastly, were they the only ones coming to them? Looks like they had to find the boss mobs themselves.

The sirens approached them, but did not dare to go above sea and onto land. They began singing their songs, attempting to lure them into the water.

[ Skill "Poker Face" and "Composed Mind" are automatically activated ]

'I guess even these are considered skills in the System.' Cale thought. He always had them, so he didn't think it was special enough to be registered. 'But how is Jinwoo...?' Cale turned to him.

Jinwoo was smiling at him...

Cale flinched. 'What the...' He was a bit taken aback by him. 'I guess it's alright that he's not affected...' Cale awkwardly turned away. "Erebus, finish them off." He commanded, as he would usually to Choi Han.

The shadows also seemed unaffected. Maybe because they weren't humans?

"Yes, my queen." Erebus followed obediently, leading the other shadows into the fight.

"Do these sirens think they can lure us into the water?"

"They don't have a single aspect greater than our queen."